Degree plan for 120 RA credits, TESU Biology BA & WGU BSN

[FloridaMan]

Location: Florida, USA
Age: 33
Academic goals: Biology BA from TESU, BSN from WGU, masters program at local university after that

All of my credits are RA.
I have an AA degree.
No military experience or additional certifications

Budget: I may be able to get ACE credits paid for through my spouse’s job’s educational stipend. I’m prepared to pay Full-Time Flat-Rate Tuition for one term.

Tuition assistance: None

Daily time commitments: unemployed, SAHP to a recently school-aged child

Timeline: < 3.5 years, the BSN from WGU is 2.5 years, so I want to finish TESU within a year

Previous schooling & Credits: 2 colleges & 2 universities across two states over 11 years. I don't currently have access to digital or physical versions of my transcripts. I've listed everything I remember in terms of the Biology BA requirements. I have only listed classes that I know I got an A or B in.

Eng comp 1 (3 cr hr)
Eng comp 2 (3)
Comm/Public Speaking (3)

Soc class (3)
Anthro class (3)
Phil class (3)
Phil (Ethics) class (3)

US History (3)
Music history (3)
Art history (3)
other social studies/humanities course (3)

Earth science (3)
Geology 1 w/lab (4
Nutrition (3)
Kinesiology jazzercise class (2-3?)

Stats (3)
Math (3)
Math  (3)
Calculus 1 (4)

Physics 1 w/lab (4)
Physics 2 w/lab (4)
Chemistry 1 w/lab (4)
Chemistry 2 w/lab (4)

Psychology (3)
Developmental Psychology (3)
Spanish 3 (3)
Spanish 4 (3)

BOT 200 (botany) w/lab (4)
ZOO 200 (zoology) w/lab (4
Anatomy & Physiology 1 w/lab (4)
Anatomy & Physiology 2 w/lab (4)
Medical Terminology (3)
Microbiology w/lab (4)

Total credit hours listed here: 109

There's more, but this is everything that I remember with 100% accuracy.

Classes needed for TESU: Cell Biology, Genetics, O Chem 1 w/lab, O Chem 2 w/lab, Capstone

Classes needed for WGU BSN: A & P 1 w/lab, A & P 2 w/lab, Micro w/lab, pathophysiology

Questions about TESU:

How do classes from Straighterline appear on the transcript? Do they show up as a TESU credit or something else? Is it a letter grade or something else?

I need to take Calc 2. TESU offers this class, but I want to do a practice run on another platform before attempting the actual class. Can I take the class on Straighterline and NOT take credit for it? I want to take it through TESU to hit the 15 credit hours.

Is it possible to take 12 other credits and the capstone within the same term, so I can hit the 15 credit hour threshold and then be done academically and financially? I want to take Calc 2 and pathophysiology through TESU anyway, so is this the most cost effective way to finish the degree?

Are all the "classes needed" (listed above) available through Straighterline? I would like to get as many ACE credits as possible from a single source because I’m not sure how the stipend will reimburse multiple payments.

Questions about WGU:
I plan to retake A&P 1 and 2 and Micro through Sophia because I used to tutor for these subjects and I know I can finish them fast. I don’t want the Sophia credits to affect the old RA credits for the same classes and I can't afford to pay for Sophia  & Straighterline at the same time. Can I keep my Sophia credits unlinked from TESU? If not, should I wait until I finish at TESU to do this? If I pay for one month of Sophia, do I need to pay again to obtain the credits to send to WGU if it’s a few months later?

Final thoughts:
I’ve been trying to get a bachelor degree for over 15 years through various life hardships. I just want to be finished and I’m so close. I was almost done with my degree before covid hit. By the time it was over my tutoring job was gone and I couldn’t afford university classes anymore (kid expenses take priority). If I only went to WGU for a BSN, I wouldn’t meet all the requirements for the masters program. If I only went to TESU for a bachelors, I wouldn’t be able to afford the masters program. I want to finish my bachelors to increase my earning potential to be enough to pay for the BSN from WGU. After I have the BSN, I can increase my earning potential even more and be able to afford the masters program.

This final blurb is only here as an explanation for why this entire post is so convoluted.

[Jonathan Whatley]

How do classes from Straighterline appear on the transcript? Do they show up as a TESU credit or something else? Is it a letter grade or something else?

They do not appear as TESU credit. They appear something like this:

ASSESSMENT CREDIT
TESU-ACE
CHE 241      ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I          CR     3.0

CR is in the column for a grade, meaning it’s treated here as “Credit,” meaning an ungraded pass in a pass-fail system.

I need to take Calc 2. TESU offers this class, but I want to do a practice run on another platform before attempting the actual class. Can I take the class on Straighterline and NOT take credit for it? I want to take it through TESU to hit the 15 credit hours.

ALEKS is a low-cost platform to practice calculus. ALEKS does not offer alt-credit itself in calculus, though it does offer ACE credit in algebra, pre-calculus, trig, and statistics.

Is it possible to take 12 other credits and the capstone within the same term, so I can hit the 15 credit hour threshold and then be done academically and financially? I want to take Calc 2 and pathophysiology through TESU anyway, so is this the most cost effective way to finish the degree?

Yes. This “15-credit term” is common, although most people doing it have a less rigorous total set of courses than yours.

Are all the "classes needed" (listed above) available through Straighterline? I would like to get as many ACE credits as possible from a single source because I’m not sure how the stipend will reimburse multiple payments.

Cell Biology and Pathophysiology are not available on StraighterLine or Sophia. Pathophysiology is available on Study.com. 

For Cell Biology online, American Public University System is an option at $350 per semester hour.

I plan to retake A&P 1 and 2 and Micro through Sophia because I used to tutor for these subjects and I know I can finish them fast. I don’t want the Sophia credits to affect the old RA credits for the same classes and I can't afford to pay for Sophia  & Straighterline at the same time. Can I keep my Sophia credits unlinked from TESU? If not, should I wait until I finish at TESU to do this? If I pay for one month of Sophia, do I need to pay again to obtain the credits to send to WGU if it’s a few months later?

There is no advantage in keeping them “unlinked” or hidden from TESU. They won’t remove the old RA credits. And with Sophia, StraighterLine, and SDC alike, after you’re no longer subscribing, sending transcripts is as free and easy as when you were subscribing.

I’ve been trying to get a bachelor degree for over 15 years through various life hardships. I just want to be finished and I’m so close. I was almost done with my degree before covid hit. By the time it was over my tutoring job was gone and I couldn’t afford university classes anymore (kid expenses take priority). If I only went to WGU for a BSN, I wouldn’t meet all the requirements for the masters program. If I only went to TESU for a bachelors, I wouldn’t be able to afford the masters program. I want to finish my bachelors to increase my earning potential to be enough to pay for the BSN from WGU. After I have the BSN, I can increase my earning potential even more and be able to afford the masters program.

This final blurb is only here as an explanation for why this entire post is so convoluted.

Not convoluted at all. Good luck!

[FloridaMan]

After reviewing the requirements for every biology masters in the state and looking at the course offerings of various institutions, I will eventually have to retake the pass/fail biology credits before applying to any masters program . Since I will be a non-degree seeking student in 5 years, there's no point in taking Calc 2 or pathophysiology from TESU now.

Are all e-packs available in every term? Is a "term" at the flat-rate price at TESU always 12 weeks? If I take the required 6 credits plus 3 e-pack courses to get to 15 credits, will all academic work and the full payment be due at the end of 12 weeks?

Since I know for a fact I need the listed science classes, can I start the ACE credits now before enrolling at TESU? I won't have access to my old transcripts until December when I get the chance to travel back to the towns I got the credits in and the educational stipend is "use it or lose it" and resets at the end of the year. Are the ACE credits for these classes common enough that they're a sure thing even before my old transcripts are evaluated?

Cell Biology: University of New England or American Public University
Do both of these sources confer a letter grade? They are both a faster than my local university, but the additional expense would only be worth it if I can get a letter grade out of it.

Genetics: Straighterline? and Study.com


O Chems 1 & 2 w/labs: Straighterline

A & P 1&2 w/labs: Sophia, Study.com, Straighterline
Can I take these courses concurrently on these platforms? Or will I have to finish A&P1 before starting 2?

Micro w/lab: Sophia, Study.com, Straighterline

Pathophysiology: Study.com

Which of these platforms allows for the fastest completion of courses at the lowest priced tier? I've seen conflicting information on this forum, reddit, and youtube, so I don't know what is the most up to date information. If the stipend works out, I can buy two memberships this November and December since the reimbursement fund has built up over the past 10 months. How many classes per month will it let me do at a time? I know I'll struggle in O Chem, so I'm doing that last, but everything else I should be able to cram for and I believe I could finish it all by December 31st if the platforms allow for it.

[Jonathan Whatley]

After reviewing the requirements for every biology masters in the state and looking at the course offerings of various institutions, I will eventually have to retake the pass/fail biology credits before applying to any masters program . Since I will be a non-degree seeking student in 5 years, there's no point in taking Calc 2 or pathophysiology from TESU now.

It wouldn’t be surprising if someone would waive that expectation for a BA-Bio and BSN with a pass/fail-heavy but otherwise impressive background.

Are all e-packs available in every term? Is a "term" at the flat-rate price at TESU always 12 weeks? If I take the required 6 credits plus 3 e-pack courses to get to 15 credits, will all academic work and the full payment be due at the end of 12 weeks?

All E-Pack courses are listed at https://www2.tesu.edu/listallc.php?type=EP
Click on each course of interest to see what terms it is offered in.

The flat-rate term is 12 weeks. Payment is due before starting courses, not after. The information literacy and capstone courses are not available in E-Pack, so they will have frequent deadlines. You might want to be familiar with the criteria under which a course extension is possible for a non-E-Pack course, on petition and additional fee.

Since I know for a fact I need the listed science classes, can I start the ACE credits now before enrolling at TESU?

Yes.

Are the ACE credits for these classes common enough that they're a sure thing even before my old transcripts are evaluated?

It seems likely but I’m at a bit less than “sure thing.” For example, I’ve heard at least one student report that TESU accepts StraighterLine Organic Chemistry, but it gives me pause that Organic Chemistry does not appear on StraighterLine’s TESU partnership page.

Cell Biology: University of New England or American Public University
Do both of these sources confer a letter grade?

Yes. Also look at UCSD Extended Studies Cell and Molecular Biology online, $845 for 4.5 quarter hours (3 semester hours).

Genetics: Straighterline? and Study.com

O Chems 1 & 2 w/labs: Straighterline

A & P 1&2 w/labs: Sophia, Study.com, Straighterline
Can I take these courses concurrently on these platforms? Or will I have to finish A&P1 before starting 2?

You can’t take much strictly concurrently on Sophia or Study.com. On Sophia you can only take two courses at one time, and in A&P and microbiology the main course and the related lab course count as separate courses. On Study.com these are not split, but you can also only take two courses at one time on the College Starter Plan, or three courses at one time on the College Saver Plan.

Micro w/lab: Sophia, Study.com, Straighterline

Pathophysiology: Study.com

Which of these platforms allows for the fastest completion of courses at the lowest priced tier? I've seen conflicting information on this forum, reddit, and youtube, so I don't know what is the most up to date information.

For A&P and Microbiology with labs, the low price leader is Sophia, because both Study.com and StraighterLine require purchase of a lab kit or software access from a third-party provider.

Since you’ll be with StraighterLine anyway for ochem and Study.com anyway for pathophysiology, you can just do Genetics with whichever one of them you have the time available on your subscription.

How many classes per month will it let me do at a time?

Limits in courses in progress at one time as mentioned. No limit in completions per month per se that I recall.

[Hotdogman1]

Is the end goal MSN? What masters are you trying to do?
What is the point of the Biology bachelor's degree if you're immediately going to go for the BSN? Wouldn't it be cheaper to:

1. skip the TESU bachelor's
   
2. do the prerequisite courses
   
3. BSN
   
4. Masters
   

If price is an issue, UMPI or East texas would be cheaper. I also highly doubt you could use ACE credits for any Master's required prerequisite courses. If you need to do prerequisite courses, it would be cheaper to complete them at a Community college especially since you're in Florida. Check out your local CC and see if there are any scholarships. You probably wouldn't be eligible if you have a Bachelor's as most seem to be for students working towards their first BA degree. EX: https://pc.fsu.edu/promise-scholarship. Also look into FAFSA and see how much pell grant you have left.

[natshar]

I have only listed classes that I know I got an A or B in.

You can list classes you got below a B in. TESU accepts D- or higher, I know because I know transfered D- classes to TESU.

[FloridaMan]

" It wouldn’t be surprising if someone would waive that expectation for a BA-Bio and BSN with a pass/fail-heavy but otherwise impressive background."

You can list classes you got below a B in. TESU accepts D- or higher, I know because I know transfered D- classes to TESU.

Unfortunately my academic background is not otherwise impressive. From 18-22 my personal hardships were enough to make academia impossible, but not bad enough for the bureaucracy of university procedures to give me any leniency (but I could spin it well in a grad school interview if given the chance). All the grades I have from that time are F, D, W or the exact opposite of A or B (for the classes I managed to complete). I graduated with honor society distinction when I got my AA, but that was in December 2019 right before covid. My kid was born in December 2020, so finishing that bachelor degree was left behind for a few years. If TESU accepts classes that counted as fails at the original schools, than I have even more than 120 credits. And a lot of duplicate classes.

"Also look at UCSD Extended Studies Cell Molecular Biology online, $845 for 4.5 quarter hours (3 semester hours)"

WHOA, that's way cheaper. And that would satisfy the credit requirement and be a letter grade?

What masters are you trying to do?

Biology MS

If price is an issue, UMPI or East texas would be cheaper. I also highly doubt you could use ACE credits for any Master's required prerequisite courses. If you need to do prerequisite courses, it would be cheaper to complete them at a Community college especially since you're in Florida. Check out your local CC and see if there are any scholarships. You probably wouldn't be eligible if you have a Bachelor's as most seem to be for students working towards their first BA degree. Also look into FAFSA and see how much pell grant you have left.

The ACE credits won't work for a future masters, but if I can finish everything within 2 months, then I don't have to wait for regular school semesters and I can use the reimbursement stipend to cover all the ACE memberships. Since this benefit isn't through a job that I have (it's my spouse), I can't use any tuition assistance programs. I can't afford tuitions now, but I can cover ACE costs.

My overall GPA on my mountain of credits is not good (somewhere in the 2.0-2.9). Most scholarships have GPA requirements and there's no way for me to become eligible. I used up all grants a long time ago. I paid for my AA out of pocket. My spouse has a good paying job (hence the benefits), so I don't qualify for financial hardship scholarships.

Most of the masters programs I looked at need applicants to have the requirements needed for a Biology BS (no pass/fails) OR good grades in the most recent two years of academic performance. Since all the programs also require letters of recommendation, it would be better to simply become a non degree seeking student and take Cell Biology?, Genetics, Calc 2, O Chem 1 & 2 (for a letter grade), and any other classes I'm missing and use those connections to get into the masters program at whatever school I take those prerequisites at.

The BSN is to get a job as a nurse. The Biology BA is to get a better paying job to pay for the BSN. The jobs around here pay the same for high school diploma or Associate, but once you have a bachelors there's a pay increase and I'd qualify for any job that has the "bachelor degree" requirement regardless of what the degree is in. I need a bachelors quickly because I can't afford the BSN without a better paying job. Also BSN doesn't qualify me for a Biology MS program. Right now I can afford one flat rate term at TESU out of pocket. All future fees, tuition, and expenses after that are up in the air.

I had explained a lot of this in the rough draft of my initial post, but it was too long so I cut a lot of stuff out.

Back to degree planning:

In November I can take A & P 1 & 2 & labs and Micro w/lab on Sophia.
In December I can take Pathophysiology and Genetics on Study.com
In January I will take Cell Biology through one of the previously mentioned methods and start O Chem on Straighterline.

It looks like terms start monthly according to the academic calendar, so do the "12 weeks" start based on whatever month you start classes? Would it be best to wait until my Cell Biology class is completed before starting at TESU or can I receive credit for completing it and still graduate at the end of 12 week even if Cell Biology and the TESU term overlap? All the Cell Biology classes previously mentioned end in mid-late March.

I plan to start at WGU as soon as I can affordably, reasonably do so after completing TESU. I don't have any time commitment hindrances besides from summer break for K-12 schooling, which will probably be happening by then.

[StraighterLine_Learn]

Classes needed for TESU: Cell Biology, Genetics, O Chem 1 w/lab, O Chem 2 w/lab, Capstone

Classes needed for WGU BSN: A & P 1 w/lab, A & P 2 w/lab, Micro w/lab, pathophysiology

Questions about TESU:

How do classes from Straighterline appear on the transcript? Do they show up as a TESU credit or something else? Is it a letter grade or something else?

I need to take Calc 2. TESU offers this class, but I want to do a practice run on another platform before attempting the actual class. Can I take the class on Straighterline and NOT take credit for it? I want to take it through TESU to hit the 15 credit hours.

Is it possible to take 12 other credits and the capstone within the same term, so I can hit the 15 credit hour threshold and then be done academically and financially? I want to take Calc 2 and pathophysiology through TESU anyway, so is this the most cost effective way to finish the degree?

Are all the "classes needed" (listed above) available through Straighterline? I would like to get as many ACE credits as possible from a single source because I’m not sure how the stipend will reimburse multiple payments.

Hi there! We’re happy to answer any questions you have about StraighterLine and our partnership with TESU. You can set up a chat with one of our enrollment specialists through the link below, but we’ll answer a few of your questions here.

1. You can definitely take StraighterLine’s General Calculus II course and choose not to transfer it for credit at TESU. 
2. Our course equivalency guide will help you determine which courses StraighterLine has that can count towards the classes you need at TESU: https://www.straighterline.com/colleges/thomas-edison-state-university/

Set up a chat with one of our enrollment specialists here: https://info.straighterline.com/es-info-request

[wow]

My advisor at TESU told me Straighterline OChem count, but always check with yours as things can change depending on when you enrolled.

Also, get approval for UCSD Extended Studies Cell Molecular Biology online before you take it. I'm not sure that anyone here has actually tried applying it toward TESU's cell biology requirement. It will probably work, but not a certainty unless you have it in writing from your advisor.

[Duneranger]

As someone who has the degrees you seek, getting a BA in Biology->>BSN->> MS in Biology makes 0 sense.

Do you want to be a nurse or no? If not, do NOT get a BSN. I think you underestimate how much of the suck it's going to be.

Why do you want a MS in Biology?